Filing for Unemployment in Oregon

If you are one of the many people in Oregon who have been impacted by unemployment, you will want to do everything you can to get some type of income to keep the bill collectors at bay.  To do that, you will want to take advantage of your Oregon unemployment benefits by filing.  The quickest and easiest way to file is online using the website managed by the Oregon Employment Department.  Just review the list of circumstances under which you cannot file online to make sure none of them apply to you.

The website, located at www.WorkingInOregon.org/ocs contains everything you need to file the initial unemployment claim.  Filing online is a lot faster than using the phone system.  It also makes your claim more complete and accurate by pointing out fields you forgot to fill in and by checking for errors.  The important thing is to file for benefits just as soon as you possibly can to avoid missing a payment.

To start collecting unemployment, you will need to file a weekly claim.  After you file the initial  unemployment claim and file your weekly claim, you will need to wait a week before you start collecting unemployment benefits.  If you are unemployed for three weeks and then file for unemployment, there is no way the system can go back in time and compensate you for two weeks of missed income. Therefore, it is urgent for you to file right away to avoid unnecessary delays in receiving your Oregon unemployment benefits.

Before you begin investing the 30 minutes it will take you to complete your unemployment claim, you should collect the information you are going to need.  You will be required to provide your social security number.  The system will also expect you to enter the business names, addresses, and phone numbers of every business you have worked for during the last 18 months.  You will need to provide your salary and total income from each employer.  Having the information with you up front will save you from making trips back and forth to the filing cabinet and possibly losing your train of thought.

The state of Oregon Employment Department encourages you to keep track of your job search activity so you can be prepared.  You should file written applications at every place you apply for work.  Use a spreadsheet program like Excel or a notebook to track names of employers, there phone number, date you contacted, the name of the peson you contacted, and the type of work you were looking for.  This is necessary to prove you are actively looking for work, keeping you eligible to receive benefits.

Be sure to visit the website www.WorkingInOregon.org/ocs as soon as you possibly can in order to take advantage of everything the state of Oregon has to offer you.  The site also has a place where you can type in your zip code to get a listing of Unemployment Insurance Offices in your area.  Although you cannot apply for unemployment at the office, you can use their computers and get help for your job search.